One dead after huge fire at Dominican beach resort

A large fire at a hotel in the Dominican beach resort of Bayahibe has killed one woman. Nearly 1,700 tourists were evacuated. What's next? The cause of the fire is being investigated. A woman has been killed and nearly 1,700 tourists evacuated due to a large fire at a hotel in the Dominican beach resort town of Bayahibe, authorities say. Francesca Valentino, a 46-year-old Italian woman, died in the fire at the Viva Wyndham Dominicus Beach Hotel, an emergency service said in a statement. Three people were taken to medical facilities and six others were treated at the site. Those affected included guests, visitors and emergency responders. Videos shared by local media showed dark clouds of smoke billowing out above the Caribbean coastline as flames engulfed the resort's straw roof. "Preliminary observations indicate that the fire spread rapidly due to the flammable nature of parts of the roof structures made of palm, as well as wind conditions," the country's Emergency Operations Center (COE) said. Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, which franchises some 8,400 hotels worldwide, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The fire was brought under control but its causes were still being investigated, the operations centre said. Guests were moved to nearby hotels. The Viva Wyndham Dominicus Palace, part of the same chain, did not sustain any damage. "Tourist activities in Bayahibe and the surrounding area remain unaffected and continue to take place safely and as normal," COE said. Famous for its clear water and white sand beaches, the Dominican Republic is the Caribbean's top tourist destination. It received about 5.6 million visitors in the first five months of this year.